Mixing plant for preparing materials comprising coated elements

ABSTRACT

A continuously operated mixing plant for making coated elements, comprising an endless belt passing round end rollers with a substantially horizontal upper run, part of which is formed into a trough by shaping means, and which passes in succession in vertical alignment with a feeder for granulated elements, a binder, a battery of beaters and at least one optional flattening device upstream of a product recuperating device.

United States Patent Foucault [451 Sept. 26, 1972 I541 MIXING PLANT FORPREPARING MATERIALS COMPRISING COATED ELEMENTS |72| Inventor: PierreFoucault, P.O. I2, Avenue dcs Vesinet, 78 Croissy-sur-Scine, France [22]Filed: Aug. 23,1971

2: Appl. No.: 174,107

[52] US. Cl. ..259/2 [SI] Int. Cl. ..B0li 15/00 [58] Field of Search..259/2, 148, 153,11, 12, 29,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Martel Crandellw, ..259/2Sherman ..259/2 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Attorney-Charles J.Diller et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A continuously operated mixing plant for making coatedelements, comprising an endless belt passing round end rollers with asubstantially horizontal upper run, part of which is formed into atrough by shaping means, and which passes in succession in verticalalignment with a feeder for granulated elements, a binder, a battery ofbeaters and at least one optional flattening device upstream of aproduct recuperating device.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MIXING PLANT FOR PREPARING MATERIALSCOMPRISING COATED ELEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to a mining plant for the preparationof materials comprising coated elements.

The production of coated complexes is increasing tions with for exampleconcretes for building purposes, coated materials for roadbuilding orfor the manufacture of chemical products.

2. Description of the Prior Art Coated complexes of this kind aregenerally prepared by introducing all the constituents into adiscontinuously operating mixer, and agitating them for a predeterminedtime.

This procedure does not give full satisfaction because the distributionof the binders or other reagents is uncertain, so that there is a riskof segregation.

SUMMARY The mixing station according to the invention is characterizedin that it comprises essentially an endless belt having a substantiallyhorizontal upper run which is subjected to the action of shaping meansin order to form a trough occupying part of this run and passing insuccession in vertical alignment with means feeding granulated elements,vertically in line with means feeding at least one binder, vertically inline with a battery of beaters, and vertically in line with at least oneflattening device situated upstream of a product recuperation device. rA

Two groups of i'b'eaters are preferably mounted rotatably and arecarried on the top part of a frame, which is itself reciprocable indirections parallel to the longitudinal axis of the belt, one of thegroups of beaters being rotatable about an axis directed transversely tothe belt, while the other group is rotatable in a directionperpendicular to the other direction.

A mixer assembly is thus obtained which mixes together the binder andthe granular elements in three directions, which are respectively alongitudinal direction with alternating displacement of the carriagecarrying the group of beaters and the simultaneous advance of the belts;a transversal direction with a first group of beaters the axes ofrotation of which are parallel to the belt; a vertical direction withthe second group of beaters of which the axes of .rotation are directedperpendicularly to the previous group. Each group is composed of twobeaters, and the beaters disposed following one another are staggered.This arrangement leads to particularly effective mixing of the verygreatly because of the numerous possible applicalo elements concerned,and this mixing brings about very progressive coating of the granularproducts, which become charged with binder as they advance together withthe belt.

An important advantage of a plant of this kind consists of the fact thatthe mechanical characteristics of the finished product are verysubstantially improved in comparison with present similar products.

Another advantage is that production may be interrupted with a minimumof labor, which naturally has repercussions of the cost price.

Yet another advantage "of the invention consists of the fact thatadjustments during running are possible, thus making it possible toobtain regular and practically instantaneous coating of granularelements of any kind, whether heavy or light, by liquid, plastics, orpulverulent binders, these adjustments making it possible to obtain, asdesired, coated complexes within a range in which'they may be verygenerously aerated or else practically solid.

The adjustments may naturally be made in respect of the viscosity of thebinder, the flow of the latter and of the granular elements, or else inrespect of the speed of advance of the belt, and these adjustments maybe made independently or in combination with one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view inlongitudinal ele vation of the plant;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding plan view; and

FIG. 3 is a view in cross-section along the line Ill-III in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiments selected andillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the mixing and coating plant according tothe invention comprises essentially an endless belt supported by drumsl0 and 11, the horizontal upper run 12 of the belt being disposed at oneend under a device indicated generally by 13 for supplying elements 14of variable granulometry.

Vertically in line with the belt, and downstream of the aforesaid device13, there is provided a distributor for binder or mortar from anapparatus 15, which advantageously is in conformity with that whichformed the object of US. Pat. Nos. 1,455,028 and No. l,498,5 78 in thename of the applicant.

Over part of its length the upper run 12 of the belt forms a troughwhich is obtained through the raising of both its edges, as can inparticular be clearly seen in FIG. 3. This raising is effected with theaid of lateral rollers 17 so as to form a central portion indicated atA, which is constituted by the actual trough and on each side of whichthere is situated an increasing portion A" situated upstream of the feeddevice and a decreasing portion at A" downstream of a mixer assemblyindicated generally M, which will now be described in greater detail.

In order to provide it with support the upper run circulates onhorizontal rollers 17A mounted rotatably in any suitable manner on aframe indicated diagrammatically at C3 This mixing device is disposedover the greater part of the trough A and comprises a plurality ofbeaters 18, 18A and 19, 19A, which are rotatably driven in any suitablemanner, which is not illustrated here, being known in itself.

The beaters 18, 18A have their respective axes of rotation x-x directedalong the axis of the belt while the axes of rotation y-y of the beaters19, 19A are directed perpendicularly to the aforesaid axes.

Each of the actual beaters comprises one or more arms 20 fixed to a hub21 turning on a shaft 22, this arm being shaped at its free end, forexample, with a curved tip 23 adapted to provide particularly effectivemixing.

It will obviously be understood that the construction illustrated forthe arms is in no way given as a limitation, but on the contrary iscapable of modification, particularly in dependence on the productstreated and the final result desired, and to this end the arms areadvantageously fixed removably on the rotating sleeves.

In the example illustrated the battery of beaters is advantageouslycarried on the top part of a carriage 25, which is adapted to performreciprocating movements on rails 26 with the aid of a motor 27 witheccentric 28, to which it is coupled by a connecting rod 29.

This arrangement effects particularly complete stirring and mixing ofthe products because the different elements are movable in threedirections, which are: the transverse direction for the group of beaters18, 18A; vertical for the group of beaters 19, 19A and finallylongitudinal for the carriage assembly C carrying the beaters.

An additional supply means 30 for hinder or other pulverulent productmay advantageously be provided 'abovethe carriage in order optionally tomodify the starting mixture, for example in order to accelerate setting.

Beyond the carriage and the beaters, in the direction of advance of thetop run of the belt, a flattener-distributor device is provided which isdesignated generally 31 and is adapted to distribute the mixed product,concrete or other material over the entire width of the belt, followingwhich at the end of the belt the product is recuperated in any suitablemanner at 32 and optionally poured on to an additional belt carryingmoulds when it is required to manufacture prefabricated buildingelements.

Beyond the reception means 32 the bottom run of the conveyor belt isfirst subjected to washing under pressure, indicated at 33, and then asit continues to advance it is subjected to the action of a scraper 34,advantageously associated with adjustment means 35, after which the beltis clean for a further passage beneath the appliances indicated above.

The invention is obviously not limited to the embodiment selected andillustrated, which is on the contrary capable of modification withoutthereby departing from the scope of the invention; thus the apparatusdescribed above may be used for mixing pulverulent products with oneanother or else for mixing pulverulent products with granulatedproducts.

I lclaim:

l. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, said process comprising an endless belthaving a substantially horizontal uppe r run sh aping means to w ichsaid upper run lS sub ected to orm a troug m at east part thereof, meansfor feeding granulated elements, means feeding at least one binder, abattery of beaters, and at least one optional flattening device upstreamof a product recuperation device, said upper run of said belt passes insuccession in vertical alignment, said means for feeding granulatedelements, said means feeding at least one binder, said heaters and saidoptional flattening device.

2. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparingmaterialcomprising coated elements according to claim 1, wherein the assembly ofbeaters is carried by a frame capable of longitudinal oscillations.

3. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the battery ofbeaters is carried by a carriage adapted to move on rails withreciprocating movements along the axis of the belt.

4. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing elementscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the battery ofbeaters is carried by a carriage which is reciprocated by a motor andeccentrio.

5. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the battery ofbeaters comprises a first group of beaters rotatable on an axis directedtransversely in relation to the belt and a second group of beatersrotatable on an axis directed parallel to the axis of the belt.

6. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein each of thebeaters comprises a plurality of beating arms having a beak-shaped freeend.

7. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the beatersfollow one another and have axes of rotation.

8. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the trough isformed by the progressive raising of the belt on each side of itslongitudinal axis.

9. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein inclinedrollers are provided to effect the raising of the belt toform thetrough.

10. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, according to claim 1, wherein thedistributor-flattener device comprises at least one rotatable disc,directed perpendicularly to the belt at a determined distance from thelatter.

1. A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materialscomprising coated elements, said process comprising an endless belthaving a substantially horizontal upper run, shaping means to which saidupper run is subjected to form a trough in at least part thereof, meansfor feeding granulated elements, means feeding at least one binder, abattery of beaters, and at least one optional flattening device upstreamof a product recuperation device, said upper run of said belt passes insuccession in vertical alignment, said means for feeding granulatedelements, said means feeding at least one binder, said beaters and saidoptional flattening device.
 2. A continuously operating mixing plant forpreparing material comprising coated elements according to claim 1,wherein the assembly of beaters is carried by a frame capable oflongitudinal oscillations.
 3. A continuously operating mixing plant forpreparing materials comprising coated elements, according to claim 1,wherein the battery of beaters is carried by a carriage adapted to moveon rails with reciprocating movements along the axis of the belt.
 4. Acontinuously operating mixing plant for preparing elements comprisingcoated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the battery of beaters iscarried by a carriage which is reciprocated by a motor and eccentric. 5.A continuously operating mixing plant for preparing materials comprisingcoated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the battery of beaterscomprises a first group of beaters rotatable on an axis directedtransversely in relation to the belt and a second group of beatersrotatable on an axis directed parallel to the axis of the belt.
 6. Acontinuously operating mixing plant for preparing materials comprisingcoated elements, according to claim 1, wherein each of the beaterscomprises a plurality of beating arms having a beak-shaped free end. 7.A continuoUsly operating mixing plant for preparing materials comprisingcoated elements, according to claim 1, wherein the beaters follow oneanother and have axes of rotation.
 8. A continuously operating mixingplant for preparing materials comprising coated elements, according toclaim 1, wherein the trough is formed by the progressive raising of thebelt on each side of its longitudinal axis.
 9. A continuously operatingmixing plant for preparing materials comprising coated elements,according to claim 1, wherein inclined rollers are provided to effectthe raising of the belt to form the trough.
 10. A continuously operatingmixing plant for preparing materials comprising coated elements,according to claim 1, wherein the distributor-flattener device comprisesat least one rotatable disc, directed perpendicularly to the belt at adetermined distance from the latter.